20130916_4168.pdf

DECISION MEMORANDUM 1
DECISION MEMORANDUM

TO: COMMISSIONER KJELLANDER
COMMISSIONER REDFORD
COMMISSIONER SMITH
COMMISSION SECRETARY
COMMISSION STAFF

FROM: DON HOWELL
DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL

DATE: SEPTEMBER 12, 2013

SUBJECT: RENEWAL OF THE TRS ADMINISTRATOR’S CONTRACT

The current contract between the Commission and its Telecommunications Relay
Services (TRS) Administrator, Bob Dunbar, is scheduled to expire on October 17, 2013. Idaho
Code § 61-1303(1) states that the Commission “shall contract with a qualified person to
administer” the TRS program. The TRS Act and the TRS program allows citizens who are
hearing or speech-impaired to engage in telephone communications “in a manner functionally
equivalent to that of individuals without hearing or speech impairments.” Idaho Code § 61-
1301.
BACKGROUND
Pursuant to the TRS Act, the Commission has contracted with Mr. Dunbar to
administer the TRS program since its inception in 1993. Under the terms of his contract, Mr.
Dunbar performs the duties of the TRS Administrator including, but not limited to: filing annual
and quarterly TRS reports; meeting with stakeholders; contracting with a service provider to
actually perform the telecom relay services; issuing RFPs for relay services; evaluating bids in
response to RFPs; and performing other duties as required by the Commission.
Under the current contract, the Administrator is compensated at a rate of $60 per
hour. The Administrator’s compensation is not to exceed a total amount of $39,000 in any given
year without the expressed written permission of the Commission. Contract § 4.1. The current
contract also provides that the TRS fund must be audited by a neutral third party at least once
DECISION MEMORANDUM 2
every three years or upon termination of the contract. Contract § 2.7. Either party may terminate
the contract by giving 90 days notice. Id. at § 4.4.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff believes that Mr. Dunbar has admirably performed his duties as TRS
Administrator. He has been the Administrator since 1993 and has efficiently discharged his
duties during his tenure. Although the current contract allows the parties to extend the contract
by two (2) one-year extensions (§ 4.3), Staff recommends that the Commission enter into a new
contract for another for another three-year period to expire October 17, 2016.
COMMISSION DECISION
Does the Commission wish to contract with Mr. Dunbar as the TRS Administrator for
a three-year period starting October 17, 2013, pursuant Idaho Code § 61-1303(1)(a)?

bls/M:TRS Contract_dh